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Artistic quilt takes aim at poverty in Ontario

Ontarians living in poverty stitch their own social safety net to mark International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

Michael Koo is one of more than 500 Ontarians who created artistic panels around the theme of poverty. (GALIT RODAN / FOR THE TORONTO STAR)

From left, Emma Frees, Michael Koo and Daniela Mergarten display quilted panels, part of a large "social safety net" to be unraveled at Queen's Park on Oct. 17, the United Nations International Day to Eradicate Poverty. (GALIT RODAN / FOR THE TORONTO STAR)

Emma Frees and Michael Koo put finishing touches on artistic panels they created around the theme of poverty. (GALIT RODAN / FOR THE TORONTO STAR)

Michael Koo has chosen the outstretched hands of God and Adam from the famous Sistine Chapel fresco to express the disparity between Ontario’s rich and poor.

Daniela Mergarten has drawn a row of houses with deep roots to show the importance of stable housing for people experiencing mental health issues and poverty.

Emma Frees has written the words “joblessness,” “insecure” and “exclusion” in block letters to highlight the impact of unemployment.

Koo, Mergarten and Frees are among about 500 individuals and groups from across the province who have been “stitching our own social safety net” over the past year.

The artistic squares, mounted on a dozen 4-metre-long panels, are being unveiled at Queen’s Park Thursday afternoon to mark the United Nations International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

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The campaign, organized by Houselink Community Homes and the Dream Team coalition of supportive housing advocates, is aimed at showing politicians how to stitch the province’s tattered social safety net back together.

“When I was working I didn’t mind paying taxes, because I always believed it was going to help people who had lost their jobs and needed a helping hand until they were re-employed,” Koo said as he put the final touches on his square.

But since losing his job five years ago due to mental illness caused by childhood abuse, Koo says he was duped.

“The help you receive puts you so far below the poverty line that it is next to impossible to escape,” said the 40-something former sales representative. “There are so many barriers.”

Mergarten is also dealing with childhood trauma she suffered growing up poor in a violent home.

“Post-traumatic stress caught up with me,” said Mergarten, 57. “I didn’t have the tools to understand my pain. But housing helps you put down roots and begin to heal.”

Frees, a former construction worker who was injured on the job about 15 years ago, has been unable to find anything more than part-time work despite taking numerous retraining programs.

“I didn’t go to college to be a professional volunteer,” said Frees, 57. “I enjoy volunteering, but I’d like to be a taxpayer. I’d like to be off the system. There is so much I would like to do to give back.”

The campaign has five key demands for the Wynne government including a 23-per-cent increase in Ontario Disability Support Program rates and a 55-per-cent hike to Ontario Works payments to restore cuts made by the Mike Harris government and make up for a subsequent eight-year rate freeze.

It is calling for a $14 minimum wage, 10,000 more affordable homes per year, full dental care for people on social assistance, fixed incomes and the working poor, and a 30-per-cent post-secondary tuition cut.

In other events to mark the UN day, food bank volunteers and anti-poverty advocates will be on GTA sidewalks serving up “food for thought” along with bag lunches of an apple and a post card about hunger in Canada. The message, “chew on this,” is a call for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to develop a national plan to fight poverty and hunger and ease the plight of an estimated 882,000 Canadians who use food banks every month.

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